The Office of Innovation Research and Assessment will track the success of current programs, contribute to the development of the new Gallup-HOPE Financial Literacy Index, and analyze the impact of HOPE programs and services on youth, adults and the community at large. The new department will also serve as a benchmark for innovation within HOPE itself.

The key functions of the office are:

Research

To study people and programs that are related to financial literacy and student academic success internal to Operation HOPE and external to the community. Aligning top research methodologies with community needs, through longitudinal and various forms of ethnographic and mixed methods designs will offer greater insight to community leaders, HOPE partners, and the general population as to the impact and current state of behavioral economics.

Evaluation

To increase the effectiveness of portfolios within HOPE and the delivery of services to youth and adults through the review and evaluation of programs and projects designed to meet the diverse needs of the poor and the unbanked in underserved communities.

Intervention Selection/Recommendation

In line with innovation, the office will become uniquely positioned to offer recommendations regarding the system of interventions required to address the root cause of issues in our communities. Leveraging experts within HOPE, through Partnership, and based on the defined voice of the research, the office hopes to rapidly close the gap by leveraging innovative programs and partnerships.

Collaboration

To actively engage in collaborative efforts with HOPE Partners and portfolio managers to enhance knowledge and awareness about students, programs and services.

Performance Improvement

Internally within HOPE and externally through our programs, we intend to measure progress and set performance improvement standards to advance our initiatives. As the world evolves, HOPE team members, partners, and the community HOPE serves will evolve and become better prepared to address community needs.

Data Integrity

Adhering to strict Research Code of Ethics standards set forth by major research organizations such as the American Educational Research Association, data will be responsibly gathered, maintained, analyzed, and reported for accuracy, respect for human subjects, and integrity of purpose.

Staff Development

To improve the knowledge and expertise of the HOPE staff in gathering information about students and programs in order to increase the effectiveness of program and service delivery